Don't Give Up On Me
by vamplee94
Summary: Dimitri has been in love with Rose since the moment he saw it, and they've always been meant to be together. However, Dimitri and Rose don't have the same ideas Fate does. [In-Progress]
1. Marry Me

_**Marry Me**  
_

_Forever can never be long enough for me/ To feel like I've had long enough with you/ Forget the world now, we won't let them see/ But there's one thing left to do/ Now that the weight has lifted/ And love has surely shifted my way/ Marry me, today and everyday/ Marry me, if I ever get the nerve to say hello in this café/ Say you will/ Hmmmmm/ Say you will/ Hmmmmm/ Together can never be close enough for me/ To fell like I am close enough to you/ You wear white and I wear out the words/ "I love you" and "You're beautiful"/ Now that the wait is over/ And love has finally showed her my way/ Marry me, today and everyday/ Marry me, if I ever get the nerve to say/ hello in this café/ Say you will/ Hmmmmmmm/ Say you will/ Hmmmmmm/ Promise me you'll always be happy by my side/ I promise to sing to you when all the music dies/ Marry me, today and everyday/ Marry me, if I ever get the nerve to say hello in/ this café/ Say you will/ Hmmmm/ Say you will/ Hmmmm/ Marry me/ Hmmmm_

"Belikov, would you hurry, please?" Christian's voice floated from the living room.

Dimitri smirked, knowing all to well why his boss was rushing him. And because of that, he sauntered slowly into the living room, and drawled out, accent exaggerated, "What's the rush?"

Christian squinted, suspicious. He was well aware that Dimitri was teasing him, but they were ten minutes late and he suspected Belikov was doing it on purpose. "If we don't hurry, we'll lose our table."

"And you absolutely need that table? We could always grab our coffee and just drink it while walking to the office. It's a nice day out."

Christian opened his mouth, about to come up with another lame excuse, when he saw the glint in his friends' eye. "Dude, either hurry up, or I'm leaving without you." He opened the door and waited for Dimitri to reply.

"I'm not on the clock, boss, you can't make me hurry."

"No, but you are on the friendship clock, and we can't be friends anymore if you don't hurry."

"You realize how childish you sound, right?"

"Yes."

"And do you care?"

"No."

Dimitri nodded once. "Fair enough," he grabbed his coat from the coat rack and passed Christian out into the hallway. "Let's get a move on, boss man."

The walk to the café was uneventful, except for the fact that Christian had a slight hop to his step, which made Dimitri wonder if today was The Day. The day he would finally get the nerve to talk to that girl.

"The regular, Dimitri?" Mia asked from behind the counter, her blonde, springy curls hidden from view in the uniform cap on her head.

"Yes, ma'am," Dimitri answered, reaching into his pocket for his wallet while simultaneously checking on Christian. It was true that he wasn't technically on the clock yet, but it was hard to brush off habit.

"If you call me 'ma'am' one more time, I'm going to have to spit in your drinks," Mia said with a glare before turning to prepare the order.

Dimitri smiled slightly, amused. "I'm sorry, what would you prefer I called you?"

"Oh, I don't know. Mia. Goddess Divine. Baby. Whatever you prefer." She placed the cups on the counter and smiled cheekily, a smile flashing on her full cheeks.

"Miss Rinaldi, are you allowed to flirt with customers?" Dimitri put a hand to his chest, feigning shock.

"My boss said whatever will get me tips."

"Well, that will definitely get you a tip," he placed a twenty dollar bill in the tip jar that stood in front of the register.

Mia grinned, "How about you take that twenty back, and take me on a date?"

"Oh, no can do, baby. See, my heart belongs to another."

"Who?"

"Christian." Dimitri smirked before turning to the order. He was afraid of taking everything at once, because if he dropped anything, Christian would turn into a full-fledged diva. And he sincerely wished he was joking, but he, and the entire café, had seen it happen once. Luckily, his (imaginary) girlfriend hadn't been there that day so there was no need for him to mope from embarrassment.

"You two have a weird relationship, and I honestly wouldn't be surprised if you two realize you secretly harbor feelings for each other and become a couple."

"You and me both, my dear." Dimitri grabs the cups and turns, Mia's laughter behind him as she turns to the next customer.

"Need help?" Dimitri quickly glances up, surprised. He hadn't heard anyone behind him. "Oh! Hi. Um, sure, could you?"

The short brunette grinned, "Yessir," and grabbed the muffin.

"Thanks." They make their way to the table, swerving around wayward chairs and the legs of the inconsiderate. Once they place everything on the table, Dimitri turned back with a smile ready. "Thank you, again."

Rose waved her hand, and gave him a crooked smile. "Absolutely no problem. I'm Rose, by the way."

Dimitri nodded. "I know. I'm Dimitri Belikov."

"Yea, Christian was telling us."

"Us?" Dimitri asked, taken aback, before looking at the table. Christian wasn't sitting there, instead, he was sitting across from a beautiful blonde.

"Him and Lissa hit it off pretty well, and they eventually forgot about my existence. I saw you at the counter and figured you needed some help."

Dimitri nodded, looking down at Rose. "Right. Thanks."

For the past two years, he and Christian would go down to Rinaldi's Café every Tuesday at 8 a.m. They would sit there, drinking their coffee for thirty minutes, then make the ten minute walk to Christian's office. And their routine had worked, nothing disturbed it, until one winter morning, when Christian spotted Lissa Dragomir. Dimitri had to admit she was very pretty, but she looked like a lot of other girls: blonde, tall, bright green eyes. To him, there wasn't anything special about her, except for maybe the fact that she seemed to exude a regal air. Other than that, she was just another pretty girl. Christian was smitten.

For two weeks, every Tuesday, they saw her there, sitting at the table right next to theirs, staring out the window. Then one Tuesday, someone was there with her. She was short, had naturally tanned skin (or, Dimitri assumed it was tan, because it was the middle of winter and she didn't seem like the spray tan kind of girl), dark hair and almond eyes. She exuded sensuality and confidence and spunk. After that change of events, Dimitri was excited every Tuesday, but he never let Christian see. If he did, he'd get teased mercilessly.

"How long has Christian been in love with Lissa?"

Dimitri knew he should have been surprised by the question, but he wasn't. After months of observation (because that was what he was calling it, obersvation. Not obsession.) he concluded that Rose was the type of woman who blurted out her first thought. "Since day one."

"So for four months, he's been getting the nerve to ask her out?"

Dimitri nodded as he pulled a chair out and motioned for Rose to sit. "Yup. I'm actually kind of surprised he even got the courage to go over there now."

"So what kind of guy is he?" Rose leaned forward, her elbows on the table, intently studying Dimitri's face.

Although he liked that her face was so close, it made him slightly uncomfortable, so he leaned back as he answered. "He's great. Nice, smart, funny."

"Boring." She crossed her arms as she leaned back. Dimitri felt her leg brush against his as she crossed them, and he wondered if she was aware of the effect she had on him.

"Fine. If I were into guys, in any way, I'd be all over him."

"You're kidding."

Dimitri nodded to Mia, who was helping a customer. "Ask her if you don't believe me."

Rose grinned, flashing pearly white teeth. "Fine. I believe you."

"Good. And Lissa?"

"What about Lissa?"

"What kind of girl is she?"

Rose shrugged. "She's great, anyone would be lucky to have her."

Dimitri leaned forward, this time getting in her face. "You see that guy over there? He might not look like much, but he's my best friend. Has been for years. So I'd like to hear more than just 'she's great'. If you don't mind."

Rose studied him, pink lips smirking slightly. "Yes."

Dimitri gave her a questioning glance, confused. "Yes what?"

"Yes, I'll go out with you."

"What?" His eyes widened.

"It's simple, really. You pick me up at my apartment on Friday at 7, take me out to eat, and, if you're really lucky, I might just kiss you goodnight after you walk me to my front door." Her smirk turned sarcastic, and a playful look shined in her eyes.

Dimitri sat, silent, for a minute, processing the information. Then, when he finally realized what had happened, he gave the girl before him a full-blown smile. A smile that sent heat all through her body. "Great."

* * *

**Hey, everybody! So, if you've already read this story through, you probably saw my author's note. If you haven't, let me explain: I have decided to not only continue this story, but to edit chapter that have already been posted. So, if you've already read and decided to re-read and got confused, it is a bit different. See, I wrote this when I was very young, and I feel like my writing has improved significantly. Because of that, instead of just continuing, I wanted to edit, so that everything has the same tone and style. I know, I'm weird, but oh well. **

**The premise is still the same: each chapter will be associated with a song and the lyrics will be included. So, no, I do not own any of the songs, I do not own any of these characters. I am simply having fun. I expect no profit or anything. And I ask for none. **

**Oh! And yes, I deleted the prologue. I didn't like it. I might edit it and put it up later, but for now, no prologue. **

**I hope you guys enjoy this story. **

**Thanks!**

**Sam**


	2. Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not?

**_Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not?_**

_We were sitting up there on your Mama's roof/ Talking about everything under the moon/ With the smell of honeysuckle and your perfume/ And all I that I could think/ about was my next move/ Oh and you were so shy, so was I/ Maybe that's why it was so hard to believe/ When you smiled and said to me/ "Are you gonna kiss me or not?/ Are we gonna do this or what?/ I think you know I like you a lot/ But you're gonna miss your shot/ Are you gonna kiss me or not?"/ It was the best dang kiss that I ever had/ Except for that long one after that/ And I knew if I wanted this thing to last/ Sooner or later I'd have to ask for your hand/ So I took a chance, bought a wedding band/ And I got down on one knee/ And you smiled and said to me/ "Are you gonna kiss me or not?/ Are we gonna do this or what?/ I think you know I love you a lot/ I think we've got a real good shot/ Are you gonna kiss me or not?"/ So we planned it all out for the middle of June/ From the wedding cake to the honeymoon/ And your Mama cried when you walked down the aisle/ When the preacher man said "say I do" / I did and you did too/ Then I lifted that veil and saw your pretty smile/ And I said/ "Are you gonna kiss me or not?/ Are we gonna do this or what?/ Look at all the love that we got/ It ain't ever gonna stop/ Are you gonna kiss me or not?/ Yeah baby I love you a lot/ I really think we've got a shot/ Are you gonna kiss me or not?_

Dimitri grinned, looking down at his plate. Christian was talking on the phone with Lissa, making plans for Friday, which would make it three dates in as many days. As annoyingly sweet as they were, Dimitri couldn't help but smile. They really were very cute. But sometimes, too much cuteness could get aggravating, so he quickly finished his meal, rinsed his plate, and made a beeline for his room.

Once the door was firmly closed, he allowed himself to think of Rose. Rose. Where Christian and Lissa had already had three dates, tomorrow would be his and Roses' first. He was nervous, ridiculously nervous, and he was seriously contemplating crawling into his bed, wrapping his blankets around himself, and claiming sickness. Not because he didn't want to go out with Rose. Quite the opposite, really. He was dying to go out with Rose. But he was so nervous, he just _knew_ he'd do something to screw it up. It was in his nature, really, to do something ass-like. Maybe it was the Russian in him, or the fact that his father wasn't the best role-model, but intimacy scared him, which was why his relationships never lasted longer than three months, and why he never went out with anyone he really, _really_ liked. It was screwed up, he was well aware of that, but he couldn't help it. The longest relationship he'd ever been in was with Christian, but he never said that because people would think they were together. Not that he cared if people thought that, but there were some real assholes at the office, like Ivashkov.

Dimitri sat on the edge of his bed and fell backwards. Ivashkov. Just the _thought_ of the guy caused him to get agitated. He didn't like the guy, at all. He was a drunkard, he got all his money from his father and didn't have any skills that could land him a job. He did nothing but chase women, party, and spend his fathers hard-earned money. Not that Mr. Ivashkov was much better than his son, but at least the man realized that he had a certain responsibility. Honestly, Dimitri had no clue what would happen to the Ivashkov company once Nathan died, but he was almost 100% certain there was no chance in hell the board would let Adrian "take over".

Dimitri sighed, casting all thoughts of Ivashkov aside. If he kept thinking of him, he'd give himself a headache, which would keep him from being able to sleep. And he needed to sleep. He got off of work at 5 and his date was at 7, which meant he only at an hour to get ready, because he had to take off early so that he wouldn't get caught in traffic or get lost, on his way to pick her up. Silently, he crawled to the head of his bed, pulled the blankets tightly around himself, and closed his eyes. As he thought about his impending date, he dozed off, and ended up dreaming of a serene Rose, seemingly smiling at him as she floated away, and he stood at the edge of a cliff, unable to help her.

Dimitri stood in front of the mirror, frowning. His dream had freaked him out so much, he'd woken up at an ungodly hour and couldn't get back to sleep. All day at work, he was distracted, and he even almost lost Christian in a crowd on their way to Ivashkov's office. Christian had asked him what was wrong, but Dimitri had waved him off. He had to keep telling himself that it was just a stupid, meaningless dream, but it still bothered him.

But he was determined to completely forget about it, because he had to take off in exactly forty minutes, and he still had no idea what he was going to wear. He was standing in front of his closet with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist, with most of his clothes thrown on his bed and all over the floor. He coulnd't find anything he liked. He wanted to look his best for Rose, as High School as it sounded.

"Hey, Dimitri, can I come in?" Without thinking, Dimitri shouted out an affirmative to Lissa's soft voice. "You're naked."

Dimitri turned, making sure the towel stayed in place. "Hey! Hi. Um… sorry…"

Lissa smiled kindly, "Oh, calm down. I'm just here to help. Chris said that you've been acting like a maniac all day, and that you've been standing in front of your closet for the last twenty minutes."

"Uh, yea. I'm just… a bit nervous."

"Don't be. You'll do great."

"You sure?"

Lissa let out a slight laugh, "Yes. She really likes you Dimitri. She's been bugging me all week to ask Christian about you. And so far, she really likes what she's heard. So all you have to do is be yourself. "

Dimitri stared, unsure. "Okay, yeah."

"Now, move aside, let me see what you've got." Lissa stepped up to his closet and quickly sifted through it. Within a minute, she had a whole outfit set out on his bed. "You'll look great in this. Remember, just be yourself, and stay calm." She gave him one last smile before walking out, closing the door firmly.

Dimitri sighed, relieved. He was still nervous, but Lissa had a sort of calming effect. Plus, she'd picked out his outfit for him. He quickly pulled on the dark jeans, simple shirt, and leather jacket. He looked in the mirror one last time, fixed his hair, and quickly made his way out of the apartment. He was over an hour early, but he didn't care. He was eager, and he didn't mind if Rose knew it.

However, once he was driving, he realized he would seem like a real loser if he arrived an hour early, so he rolled his eyes to the heavens, asked allowed why this was so damn hard, and took a slight detour. He arrived at her apartment twenty minutes early.

Dimitri pulled up in front of the red-brick building that was home to a fiery brunette. He saw it as appropriate. After a quick glance in the mirror, he got off and walked to the front door. Before he could think about it, he buzzed.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Rose, it's Dimitri."

"Oh! Ok! Would you mind waiting down there for just a few more minutes? I'm almost ready."

"Sure, no problem." Dimitri stepped back and leaned against the wall. He didn't mind waiting. However, if he had known his 'few minutes' of waiting was going to end up being thirty minutes, he would have taken an umbrella with him. It wasn't raining hard, but it was raining enough to make him yearn for a raging fireplace.

Finally, when he was just about convinced that he was going to die of hypothermia, he heard the door open. Quickly, he turned, a smile ready. The smile quickly fell.

Rose stood at the door, biting her lip nervously and tugging at her dress. "Sorry I'm late. I just… I didn't like what I'd tried on." She looked at Dimitri expectantly.

"Oh!" He smiled, heart racing. "No, it's fine. You look…" –he gulped-" absolutely…" –nervous smile-" breathtaking."

Rose grinned, satisfied. "Thanks."

Dimitri nodded, "Yeah, no, it's fine. Uh… Should we get going?"

Rose gave a small a laugh, "Yes."

"Great." He placed his hand at the middle of her back, and walked with her to his truck.

He opened the door for her, and she grinned and thanked him before ducking in. As he walked to his side, he told himself to breathe. Rose looked amazing, in a black dress that was so clingy, he could see the lace of her bra. Surprisingly, though, being able to make out her bra made him nervous, as opposed to completely willing to ravish her in the backseat of his car. He felt that, too, of course, but nervousness was the main feeling.

On the drive to the restaurant, they made small talk, but they were both too nervous to say anything beyond "nice night" and "you look nice". "Nice" kept being thrown around, as if they knew no other words. Which, at the moment, with their minds racing and the nerves tensing, they really didn't.

Dimitri noticed all the lust-filled stares Rose received, and Rose noticed all the jealous stares the women gave her. But that was when they first walked in. Once they were seated, it was as if they were the only two people, the only time they were brought back to reality was when the waiter showed up. But it was as if the waiter could sense that everybody was unwelcome to them, and so he only went to their table when he absolutely had to.

Dimitri smiled the whole night, which wasn't uncommon. He threw his smile to anyone and everyone. But his laugh… that was reserved for those closest to him. And so when Rose managed to make him laugh… she reveled in it. All she wanted to do was make him laugh. It was deep and warm, and it invaded every part of her and filled her like hot chocolate sliding into your stomach. Every time he laughed, she allowed herself to briefly close her eyes and immerse herself in it completely. But only for a moment.

Dimitri liked to lean forward whenever Rose spoke, because she was so passionate. He could see a flame in her eyes that shone brighter the more interested she was in the subject. He liked to look directly into that flame, that flame that seemed to dance. And she would smile widely, and her eyes would crinkle, and the slightest of dimples would flash beside her mouth before it went away, as if it were nervous. Her words danced around him, wrapped him in warmth, filled him with happiness and excitement. He wanted to watch her speak forever.

At 11:56, Dimitri stood with Rose at her front door.

"That was fun," Rose grinned, looking up at him from beneath her long, dark eyelashes.

"It was. Thanks." He wanted to kick himself.

She gave a small laugh. "Thanks?"

He decided to play it off. "You're welcome."

That made her laugh, the almost dimple making a quick appearance. "I had a g_re_at time, Dimitri."

Dimitri stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, me too."

Rose stood for a moment, giving him a look he couldn't quite decipher. After a minute, she gave him a crooked smile. "Well, thanks. I'll… go in now."

Dimitri gave a slight nod. "Ok. Goodbye, Rose."

"Goodbye, Dimitri."

He turned, took the three steps down, and was halfway down the walkway when he stopped. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted nothing more than to kiss her. And she looked like she had wanted to kiss him. But he wasn't sure. And… Dammit! Dimitri turned and ran back up to the door.

Rose heard steps behind her and turned to see Dimitri. "Hey, what-" Dimitri put his hands on her waist and pulled her towards him, placing his lips softly on hers. Rose relaxed, leaned into him, and gave out a small sigh.

That sigh nearly killed Dimitri.

Reluctantly, he pulled away. "Well, I had a great time."

"Yeah, me too." Rose murmured, eyes still closed, rose-bud lips pulled into a small smile.

"I'll… talk to you later."

"Yeah, me too."

Dimitri stepped back, keeping his eyes on Rose and he made his way down the steps. "Good night, Rose."

She bit her lip, locking her eyes with his. "Good night, Dimitri."

That look… he couldn't help himself.

The only reason he finally made it to his car was because Lissa pulled open the door while they were a good ten minutes into their impromptu make out session.

"The neighbors might see." Lissa smirked, amusement in her voice and dancing in her eyes.

"Right, sorry. Well, good night, Rose. Lissa."

"Night." Rose gave Dimitri one last glance and stepped inside, as he walked to his car. He sat there for ten minutes, calming his racing heart. He started up the car, and before he took off, he looked at the redbrick building. He could already tell that woman was going to be trouble.

* * *

**Hey all! So, what did you think? **

**For those of you who read before the edit: which version do you like better? Honestly, I think this one. First, the grammar is way better (I'm a grammar freak). Second, I feel like there's more detail. **

**For those of you who are reading this for the first time: What did you think of it? I hope you liked it! Let me know in the comments, yeah? **

**On to other things: I think I might edit everything before I post up a new chapter, so that I make sure everything makes sense. So, I don't know how long it'll take me to finish editing, but I probably won't be done by Thursday. Probably. Who knows, I might be. If I am, then yay! If not, sorry, but I'm giving you a fair warning. **

**Again, I do not own the song or the characters. I am not asking for, nor do I expect, any kind of profit. This is purely for funsies. **

**Huge thanks!**

**Sam**


	3. Where Do I Go From You?

**_Where Do I Go From You?_**

_I gas up my truck and I drive into town_/ _But I spend all my time just running around_/ _Trying to shake this negative mood I'm in_/ _I've nowhere to go if I wanna get down_/ _All the usual suspects are hanging around_/ _But after a round or two it was just another day again_/ _For a minute or two I'll get you off of my mind_/ _But you keep coming back to me every time_/ _Where do I go to get over the fact_/ _That you got on a plane and you ain't coming back?_/ _I said what I said and you did what you had to do_/ _Where does a man have to go to get over the truth?_/ _Where do I go from you?_/ _I bury myself in my job all day_/ _Just trying to get lost in the usual way/ Smiling and laughing and joking around with the guys_/ _Gotta do something to deaden the pain_/ _So I stare out the window just watching the rain_/ _But all I can see in the haze is the gray of your eyes_/ _So what do I do with all the pieces of you in me?_/ _If you're never coming back set me free_/ _Where do I go to get over the fact_/ _That you got on a plane and you ain't coming back?_/ _I said what I said and you did what you had to do_/ _Where does a man have to go to get over the truth?_/ _Where do I go from you? Where do I go from you?_/ _Where do I go to get over the fact_/ _That you got on a plane and you ain't coming back?_/ _I said what I said and you did what you had to do_/ _Where does a man have to go to get over the truth?_/ _Where do I go from you? Where do I go from you?/ _

Dimitri sighed, smiling. Rose was lying beside him, sleeping peacefully, and he couldn't believe it. They'd been together nearly 5 months now, and he was just as shocked as everybody else. Once they'd hit the three month mark, Christian started to count down the days they'd end in some kind of violent argument, but once they hit month four, he gave up. He knew that Dimitri was serious, and he wasn't about to cause any trouble, even if it was jokingly.

And when Dimitri called his mom and told her about Rose, she was ready to hop on a plane. But, after some sincere promises that he'd take Rose during the holidays, she settled on telling the whole town that her son had finally found the woman of his dreams. Dimitri wasn't quite sure yet if he would call Rose the woman of his dreams, but what he did know was that seeing her made him feel warm all over. He knew that he loved her smile, and that shy dimple. He knew he loved her in a clingy black dress, and in giant, grey sweats, and in jeans and a t-shirt. He knew he loved to wake up with her curled up beside him. He knew that he loved just _being_ with her.

But he also knew that Christian and Lissa were already practically naming their future children, while he couldn't even tell Rose how he felt about her. And he wasn't entirely sure how he felt. He knew he loved all these things about her, but he wasn't sure if he loved her. It wasn't his fault, not really. He'd never let anyone get so close that he had to question whether he loved them or not, so this was all new territory to him.

He gave the sleeping beauty beside him one last glance before getting out of bed. He looked for his pants in the dark, bumped into his dresser and stood still for a whole two minutes, hoping he didn't wake her up, before finally making it to the door. He shut it behind him quietly and padded softly to the kitchen. He needed a cup of water. He'd had the same dream he'd had before his first date with Rose. The one where she was floating in the water, looking for all the world like an angel. This time though, she'd been cackling as he frantically tried to wade towards her. He woke up so suddenly he was surprised he hadn't bothered Rose.

Dimitri stood at the kitchen sink, gulping down water, when he heard a soft voice behind him. "Hey, you okay?" Dimitri put the glass down, nervous. He had something to tell Rose. Something Christian had told him a week ago and he had yet to tell her.

"Rose?"

"Yeah?"

He turned to look at her, and leaned back against the sink. "I have something to tell you."

She must have seen something in his face, or heard something in his voice, because she instantly took a step toward him, worry evident. "What is it?"

"Christian… One of his clients is going through some trouble."

"Okay…?"

Dimitri took a deep breath, nervous. "Christian has to go. To help get everything settled."

Rose continued to stare at him, confusion in her eyes.

"And… well, as you know, where Christian goes, I have to go."

"Right."

"Right, well." Dimitri paused. His chest was tight, and all he wanted to do was grab Rose and go back to lying in bed with her. But he knew her. They'd been together five months; he knew her better than he ever thought he would. She was going to react badly and there really was no point in dragging it out. "Christian has to go over to France, due to a misunderstanding between one of his clients and a business partner of his. And I have to go with him, it can't be helped. Even if I could get someone to go in my place, I wouldn't. He's my friend, my employer. We're going to be over there for at least 6 months. And we leave tomorrow."

Rose stood quietly, looking away. Dimitri assumed she was processing everything. And he wasn't sure what scared him more: the quiet, or the raging storm that was sure to come.

Finally, Rose spoke.

"Tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"Did Chris just tell you?" She was about to give him a pitying look when he answered.

"No. I've known for the past week."

Again, Rose stood silent for a few minutes.

"A week?"

"Yes."

"And when were you going to tell me?"

"Well-"

"No, I mean… was it always your plan to tell me in the middle of the night as we stood in the middle of your kitchen?"

"…No."

"No?"

"No."

"So, if I hadn't have gotten up, when were you going to tell me?"

"Honestly?"

"Honestly."

"I don't know."

She scoffed. "You don't know?"

"No."

"Wow. Nice. Great."

"Rose-"

"Were you just going to drag me to the airport, say 'hasta la vista', and leave me standing there?"

"Rose-"

"Or were you going to leave me a message on my voicemail?"

"Rose, don't-"

"Oh, I know! You weren't even going to tell me! You were going to just let me figure it out on my own!"

"Don't overreact."

"Overreact?" Rose smiled mirthlessly. "You want an overreaction? I will give you a damn overreaction if that's what you really want, Belikov."

"That's not what I-" A vase flew past his head, just barely missing his ear. "Rose!"

"What? I'm just giving you what you wanted!" She grabbed a spoon off the counter and tossed it, hitting him squarely on the chest. "I. Can't. Believe. _You._" Each word was accompanied by a spoon, and the 'you' was accompanied by a spoon and a plate that shattered against the wall.

"Rose!" Dimitri ducked, trying to avoid the shards of glass on the floor.

"Here is your damn overreaction!" She threw two glass cups at his head.

Dimitri ducked behind the counter. He crouched there, listening for her, but he heard nothing. Slowly, he peeked over the counter, thinking she'd finally tired herself out. But the only thing he saw was the yellow lamp from the living room flying towards his head. He dropped to the floor, just narrowly avoiding it.

"Screw you, Belikov!"

Dimitri jumped out from behind the counter and raced to Rose, grabbing her hands and holding them behind her back. "I'm sorry."  
"Let me go!"

"Rose!"

"Let me go!"  
"Listen to me!"

"Let. Me. Go!" Rose struggled a while longer, before collapsing against his chest, tears streaming down her face. "I hate you. I hate you." She whispered as he let her arms go and held her tightly against his chest. "I hate you."

* * *

_"Ladies and gentlemen, please buckle your seatbelts. We are preparing for liftoff. Thank you."_

"Ready?"

"Sure." Dimitri stared out the window, sullen.

"Why wasn't Rose there?"

Dimitri shrugged. "I left her a note. I begged her to come, but- She just didn't want to, I guess."

Dimitri heard Christian sigh. "Look, man, I'll ask Lissa to talk to her-"

"No." Dimitri cut him off sharply as he turned to look at him. "Don't. Just… leave her alone."

"But-"

"No, Chris. Thank you, but no. Just leave it."

"Did you break up?"

Dimitri sighed and turned back to the window. "I don't know. I wouldn't be surprised if we did."

* * *

**Hey, all! So, let me tell you first off: I like this better than the last one. I felt like pre-edited, this chapter sucked. I hated the way Rose reacted. But now... I like this so much more than before.**

**Those of you who read pre-edited: What do you think? Which version do you think is better?**

**Those of you who are reading this for the first time: What do you think? Did you like it?**

**OH! Quick note: I am well aware that the characters might seem off, but not only is this AU, AH, this is slightly OOC (that means out of character, right?). So, ya know, bear with me. If something seems like something a certain character wouldn't do, suck it up. **

**Disclaimer: not my song, not my characters. I am not asking for, nor am I willing to accept, any kind of profit. I hope y'all enjoyed :D**

**Thanks!**

**Sam**


	4. Author's Note

Hey All!

Wow, it's been a while, hasn't it? Like, years. But I see people have still been reading! That makes me so happy! And I'd like to tell all of you that still followed me: I'm going to go ahead and continue this story. I think I'll even edit previous chapters, so yay! And I'm really sorry that this has taken so long, but I want to thank you all, and my writing has gotten significantly better, so I'm sure that this story can only improve. Now, I won't be posting up a chapter today, but I'll edit some older ones, and I'll try to put up a new chapter by Thursday.

Again, I want to thank you all. You're so great. I hope that you guys will enjoy the rest of it.

Kisses!

Sam.


	5. AN (Another)

**Hi! **

**Okay, so you may have noticed, I decided to take down all unedited chapters! Sorry, for those of you that were reading through it, but I will be editing all the chapters that are already written up, and posting them. I am currently on chapter 4, and I only have to edit about 6 other chapters, so it shouldn't take to long! **

**Again, sorry! **

**Thanks for understanding, **

**Sam. **


	6. Learning to Live Again

_**Learning to Live Again**  
_

_I burned my hand, I cut my face_/ _Heaven knows how long its been_/ _Since I've felt so out of place _/ _I'm wondering if I'll fit in_/ _Debbie and Charley said they'd be here by nine_/ _And Deb said she might bring a friend_/ _Just my luck, they're right on time_/ _So here I go again_/ _I'm gonna smile my best smile_/ _And I'm gonna laugh like its going out of style_/ _Look into her eyes and pray that she don't see_/ _That learning to live again is killing me_/ _Little café, table for four_/ _But there's just conversation for three_/ _I like the way she let me get the door_/ _I wonder what she thinks of me/ __Debbie just whispered, "You're doing fine" / And I wish that I felt the same/ She's asked me to dance, now her hand's in mine/ Oh, my god, I've forgotten her name/ But I'm gonna smile my best smile/ And I'm gonna laugh like its going out of style/ Look into her eyes and pray that she don't see / That learning to live again is killing me/ Now here we are beneath her porch light/ And I say what a great time its been/ A kiss on the cheek, a whisper goodnight/ And I say, "can I see you again"/ And she just smiles her best smile/ And she laughs like its going out of style/ Looks into my eyes and says, "We'll see"/ Oh this learning to live again is killing me/ God this learning to live again is killing me/_

* * *

"Dimitri?" Christian knocked on the door and slowly pushed it open. "You awake?"

"It's six, Christian. Of course I'm awake." Dimitri answered from where he was sitting.

Christian looked over to the corner of the room and grinned. "Right, well, I thought maybe… Jet lag."

Dimitri rolled his eyes and gave his friend a lop-sided smile. "We've been here four months."

"Speaking of being here four months!"

"Oh, God, Christian! You cannot be serious!"

"Dimitri, just hear me out!"

"No! Look, I appreciate the effort, but-"

"Lissa thinks it's a good idea, too!"

This made Dimitri pause. "Lissa thinks it's a good idea?"

Christian nodded, hopeful. Maybe he was finally getting through to him.

"In other words, Rose has moved on."

Christian's smile fell. _Dammit_. "No! That's not what it means-"

"Yes, it is."

"No, Dimitri, it just-"

"Fine."

"…Fine?"

"Yeah, fine."

"Wait… you're agreeing to let me set you up?"

"On one condition."

"Anything!"

"You have to tell Lissa all about her, and if Lissa tells you that you're an idiot, or that it's a bad idea, then you better listen to her."

"Yes, of course! Lissa has final say! Thank you!"

"Yeah, whatever." Dimitri turned back to his book, and Christian paused. "Hey, Dimitri?"

"Yeah?" Dimitri's eyes remained glued to his book. It was either about an alien invasion, or the apocalypse in Russia. Or both. Christian wasn't entirely sure; he hadn't been paying too much attention when Dimitri told him about it.

"I know this had been hard for you."

Dimitri put his book down, exasperated. "Chris-"

"No, let me finish." He took a deep breath. He wasn't too good at this feeling stuff, much like Dimitri. Which is probably why they were such good friends. Only, Dimitri was much worse than he was. "I know that you were in a good place before we had to come. And I'm sorry, so sorry, that you had to come. And I'm even more sorry that you coming caused you to lose someone you really cared about."

Dimitri shook his head. "Chris, you didn't make me come, alright? I came because I wanted to. Because I couldn't trust anyone else, not when it came to you, all right? What happened…it's no fault of yours. It was probably bound to happen anyway, you know how I suck at intimacy."

Christian gave a small laugh. "Yeah, you really do. I'm sure this moment we're having is killing you."

"It really is, man."

"Well, I'll talk to Lis. Tell her all about the girl. See if she approves."

"Good."

* * *

"So what's her name?" Dimitri glares at his reflection as he fixes his tie.

"Lily." Christian answered as he grabbed a coat from Dimitri's closet and handed it to him. "She's nice."

"Nice?"

"You'll learn about her on your date! But I told Lissa all about her and she approved, so suck it up."

Dimitri put on the coat and turned to his friend. "How do I look?"

"Like a smooth Russian. I approve."

"Thank you. Now I should go."

"Hey, maybe if you exaggerate the Russian accent you'll get lucky!"

"Chris!"

"I'm sorry!... No I'm not!" Chris grinned and followed Dimitri to the front door. "Just be yourself, alright? You'll do great."

"Thanks, man." With a last smile at his friend, Dimitri walked out of their apartment and made his way to the restaurant where he was supposed to meet Lily.

Once he got there, he stood on the sidewalk and looked for a strawberry-blonde wearing a green dress.

"Dimitri?"

He spun and was met by a pair of sapphire eyes that shone brightly, despite the fact that the only source of light was the half-moon. "Oh. Hi. Lily?"

She smiled, showing bright white teeth. "Yes. Hi." She held out her hand and Dimitri shook it. "Nice to meet you."

"Yeah, you, too."

"Chris told me a lot about you."

"I wish I could say the same, but all he said was that you were nice." Dimitri grinned at the way Lily laughed, head thrown back, joy emanating from her very being. "So, shall we go inside?"

"Yes, let's." Dimitri motions for Lily to go first, and follows her in.

Once seated, Lily asks Dimitri about his accent, his family, and his life before he and Christian had to uproot everything. And Dimitri asks her about herself, since he doesn't even know her last name.

* * *

"…I fell from that tree."

"No!" Lily leans forward, interest evident on her face.

"Yes!"

"Oh, my god! And what happened?!"

"He broke his collar bone." Dimitri stood quickly, smile breaking out on his face.

"That's the best part of the story!"

"That's why I love telling it." The woman smiled cheekily. "How have you been, my dear?"

"Great, and yourself?"

"Eh, fine. Really can't be helped, you know?"

"What can't?"

"Oh, idiotic men." She turned icy blue eyes to Lily, and smiled warmly. "Am I right?"

Lily smiled, confused, before turning to look at Dimitri. "Oh! I'm so sorry, where are my manners? Lily, this is Tasha Ozera, Christian's aunt. Tasha, this is Lily."

"Nice to meet you, Lily."

"You, too. You're Christian's aunt?"

"Yes, the one and only."

"Wow. You look so young."

"Oh, my parents had my older brother when they were very young, and Lucas and Moira had Chris when they were young, so I'm only a couple of years older than my dear nephew. Still weird, though."

Dimitri laughed and turned back to Lily. "I met Tasha at University, and Chris was always hanging around. It was either become friends with him, or live a life of misery."

"That's true." Tasha gave Lily one last smile before turning back to Dimitri. "Well, I'll leave you to your date. Have a great time! It was nice to meet you, Lily."

"Yeah, you too."

Dimitri sat back down, "Sorry. I haven't seen her in a while."

"Oh, that's fine."

"Anyway, where were we?"

"You broke your collarbone."

"Dammit! I can't believe she didn't let me say it!"

* * *

"I had a _great_ time."

"Me too."

"You sound surprised, Dimitri."

"I am." Dimitri grinned and kicked his foot. "So… Can I see you again?"

"Dimitri… I really like you."

"Here we go."

"No, not that. I just… I really like you. And I would love to see you again. I just… the only thing is, I just got out of a pretty crappy relationship."

"The relationship itself was crappy, or the way it ended?"

"Both, ha. Look, just… I'm not looking for anything serious-"

"Lily, it's ok. Trust me, I understand. I just got out of a relationship, too. And I'm not entirely over it. Or her. So, I think we can both agree we're not looking for anything too serious."

"Good. I'm glad we're on the same page."

"Me too. So. You free Monday?"

Lily threw back her head, laughing with her whole body. "Boy, you do not take it slow, do you?"

"I'm tired of taking it slow."

"That doesn't lend itself well to a non-serious relationship."

"I'm very aware of that, Lily. And I don't mind if you break my heart."

Lily smiles at him. "Ok," she answers with a nod. "Pick me up on Monday at 7."

"Sounds good."

* * *

"Dimitri, where are you?"

Dimitri opened his eyes and looked around him. The walls were soft pink instead of blue, and the bed he was in was most definitely not the one he'd been sleeping in the last seven months. "Um… I'm…"

"… Holy shit! You're at Lily's, aren't you?"

Dimitri opened his mouth to protest, but then decided to check if there was anyone lying beside him. There was. Only, her hair was platinum blonde. _Shit_. "Hey, Chris?"

"Yes?"

"How pissed would you be if I told you I was not, in fact, at Lily's?"

"…I will fucking piss on everything you love, you fucking piece of shit."

Dimitri quietly got out of bed and searched for his clothes. "It's not my fault." He whispered.

"Not your fault?! What the hell happened!?"

"I'm honestly not entirely sure!" Quickly, Dimitri threw his shirt on, grabbed his shoes, and made his way out of the small apartment. Once he was out, he stopped whispering. "I have no idea what happened! What did I do last night?"

"You went to a party with Lily!"

Dimitri stopped in his tracks as memories from the night before flooded into his mind. "Oh."

"Oh? Fucking 'oh' is all you have to say?"

Dimitri pulled the phone away from his ear for a moment before replying. "Yeah, my bad."

"What the fuck happened, you dickweed?"

"Well… Lily and I got there and we were fine." Dimitri explained to Christian as he grabbed a coffee from a vendor.

They'd arrived a bit late, thanks to Dimitri refusing to stop to ask for directions. They were fine, until Lily rolled her eyes and whispered something about all men being the same. Normally, Dimitri wouldn't have been upset, but he had already been feeling anxious, thanks to news from the ever-lovely Lissa about Rose, and so this sent him off on a rant about how women were the same all over, too. So of course, when they got to the party, they were both very upset.

However, after they had a few drinks and Dimitri had sufficiently charmed Lily's friends, they were both in better moods. They were in such good moods, they managed to sneak away from everybody and find an empty room.

"I love this dress." Dimitri mumbled against her skin as he kissed her collarbone.

Lily threw her head back, eyes closed. "I love this dress, too." She put her arms around him, letting her hands roam across the hard muscle of his back. She moaned his name as he backed her onto the bed, where she was more than ready to go. Seeing him interact with her friends made her love him so much. So, so much.

Dimitri kissed across her chest, barely touching the top of her breasts, his hand roaming under her dress and up her thigh, slowly.

Without thinking, Lily breathed out, "I love you."

Dimitri moaned against her skin.

"What?" Lily's eyes snapped open as she used her elbows to push herself up.

"What?" Dimitri sat on his knees before her, eyes wide, breathing heavy.

"What did you say?"

Dimitri stared at her, open-mouthed. "I…I said…"

"You said R-"

"You said you loved me!"

"You said your ex's name!"

"No, look, Lily, it's just, she… she meant a lot, and I-"

"It's been seven months!"

"No, I've been here seven months! I've been with you for three!"

"Exactly! It's been seven months since you broke up with her, and well into our relationship, you moan her name!"

"You said you weren't looking for anything serious!"

"That was three months ago!"

"So you're ready now?"

"Yes!"

"I didn't know that!"

"So? Gah!" Lily stood, fixing her dress. "You're an ass. Let her go, Dimitri. Seriously. I'm sure she's over you." And with one final glare thrown at Dimitri, she stormed out of the room.

"So what then?"

"So I got smashed and slept with one of her friends." Dimitri sipped from his coffee.

"Oh."

"Oh?" He smirked. "Fucking 'oh' is all you have to say?"

"I'm sorry!"

Dimitri shrugged, although Christian couldn't see it. "No, it's ok. I was bound to screw it up anyway."

"…"

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Christian."

"That's just… that's what you said with Rose."

Dimitri stayed silent. Christian was right, of course. He had said that. "Yeah," he replied. "But this time, I meant it."

* * *

**Hi all! What did you think?**

**Again, I do not own anything. I am not asking for profit of any kind. **

**So tell me what you think! And if you have any questions, feel free to ask away!**

**Thanks! **

**Sam.**


	7. Over When It's Over

**_Over When It's Over_**

_It's over when it's over/ Ain't it baby, ain't it/ Rips ya like a dagger/ Can it baby, can it/ Wish we could do it over/ Damn it baby, damn it/ We had it in the air, we just couldn't land it/ It's the first snap of the last straw/ Where regrets outlast the alcohol/ It's a cold sweat, in an empty bed/ And dreams are like a knife/ When you're hangin' by a thread/ And no maybe we can make it if we just play/ The right cards/ Now it's over when it's over/ Ain't it baby, ain't it/ Rips ya like a dagger/ Can it baby, can it/ Wish we could do it over/ Damn it baby, damn it/ We had it in the air, but just couldn't land it/ It's a white flag/ It's a stop sign/ It's the last long drag/ on a Marlboro Light/ It's a long night, beatin' up the past/ Now when the first lie is gonna hit you back/ This ain't no gone for good drill/ Or no goodbye for tomorrow, it's over/ Yea it's over/ Yea it's over/ There ain't no better way/ We could make it work/ It's a blank page/ When you're outta words/ Yeah it's a flat line/ It's a heart attack/ Yeah its too far gone, to be shocked back/ It's a one way with nowhere to turn/ It's a no breaks baby, crash and burn/ Ain't no map gonna ever bring us back/ From where we are/ It's just over when it's over/ Ain't it baby, ain't it/ Rip ya like a dagger/ Can it baby, can it/ Wish we could do it over/ Damn it, baby, damn it/ We had it in the air, and just couldn't land it/_

"Dimitri!" He turned, smile ready.

"Lissa-Oof!" Laughing, he put his arms around the blond that had thrown herself on him.

"It's been so long!"

"Hello, darling, I've missed you, too."

Lissa released the hold she had on Dimitri and turned to the dark-haired, blue-eyed man who had just stepped up beside him. "Oh, hi, honey. How have you been?" She grinned innocently as Christian gave her an unamused look.

"Oh, Lissa. Give the guy a break. He's missed you."

"Mm-hmm. And he couldn't visit?"

"Hey, Dimitri didn't visit either!"

"So? _He's_ not my boyfriend!"

Dimitri laughed, his arm around Lissa's waist. "Lis, come on."

She glared up at him, jade eyes sparking with fire. "What?"

Dimitri gave her a grin and looked back at the pitiful Christian before them. "He really, really missed you."

Lissa pursed her lips as she studied her boyfriend, trying to fight off a smile. "Fine," she finally announced as she stepped away from Dimitri's hold to put her arms around Christian's neck. "I forgive you."

"Yes!" Christian fist pumped the air.

Lissa stared, wide eyed, before stepping back. "Yeah, never mind."

"What?"

"You did this to yourself, man," Dimitri threw over his shoulder as he went to retrieve their luggage.

* * *

"Is he nice?" Dimitri asked from the kitchen. While they'd been gone, Lissa had offered her services and checked on their apartment every week and as a thank you, he and Christian had cooked a dinner for her. Now, he was stuck washing the dishes while Christian sat on the sofa with Lissa.

"Dimitri!" Christian's head dropped back, exasperated.

"What? I'm just asking!"

"Whatever! You're trying to see if you can get her back!"

"Christian, it's been eight months, do you really think I haven't let it go?"

Christian and Lissa shared a look, unbelieving. "Dimitri, you haven't let it go."

"Christian, I am going to punch you in the face."

"Lissa!"

"Dimitri, be nice! He means well."

Dimitri rolled his eyes as he rinsed the last of the dishes. "So, answer the question, Lissa."

"Yeah, Lissa, answer the question-OW! Why?"

"Yes, Dimitri, he's nice. Surprisingly." Lissa grinned at Christian as he rubbed the spot she had hit.

"Surprisingly?" Dimitri leaned his shoulder against the kitchen foyer as he dried his hands.

"Yeah. I mean, we'd seen him around before. He seemed like a real jerk. He started chasing Rose around, but she kept saying no, and finally she told him that if he changed basically everything about himself, then she'd go out with him. Neither of us actually thought he'd do it, but he did."

"Wow. The guy sounds committed." Christian mocked.

"He is, which is more than can be said about _some_ guys."

"I said I was sorry!"

"Whatever!"

"Guys, guys!" Dimitri walked to the sofa and plopped down in between them. "This fighting is tearing the family apart."

"Like that hair, what is up with it?" Lissa stared at his small ponytail in disgust.

"That's what I said!"

"Why does boys hair grow so quickly?"

"Seriously, guys?" Dimitri rolled his eyes, stood, and grabbed his jacket. "Fine! I'll go get a haircut!" Lissa and Christian cheered as Dimitri walked out of the apartment, not the least bit disgruntled.

* * *

"No way! Seriously?"

"Yes! Do you really think I would lie?"  
"Ha, oh my god-I can't breathe."

"Why is it so funny?"

Dimitri groaned as he cracked open his eye to look at the clock. 9 a.m. On a Saturday. It was his day off, and he had planned on staying in bed, but the familiar voices floating in from the kitchen wouldn't let him. As he was making up his mind to get up or not, he noticed that his cell phone was blinking, indicating he had a message. He grabbed it from the bedside table and quickly read the text.

_ Had to go to the office real quick, _

_I'll probably be back sometime around 10-ish._

_ Hopefully you're awake by then. Lissa's there, _

_and so is Rose. Our kitchen's bigger apparently, _

_which is important since Rose is taking by her new boyfriend. _

_He seems nice, so you be nice. _

Dimitri groaned again and dropped back into bed. This was obviously going to be a long day if he was going to be forced to interact with someone he didn't know. But he was determined to be civil. It wasn't this guys fault that he and Rose had broken up, it was his own. And Rose's. Although he'd never tell her he did put a bit of the blame on her, because then she'd probably hate him forever. She hated when people said she overreacted.

Finally, he got up, hopped into the shower, and then got dressed. He didn't put too much effort into his appearance, but he didn't want Rose to think that he'd been moping these past months. As he looked in the mirror, he had to admit he was glad he got his haircut. He rather hated that ponytail, but Lily had found it intriguing and mysterious. Now that he thought about it, he wasn't sure why he had been so infatuated with Lily. Maybe it was because, even though she looked nothing like Rose, she was snarky and sarcastic. Although, she still wasn't anything like Rose. If anything, she was just a poor imitation.

Dimitri shook his head to clear his thoughts. He refused to think of Rose; it would do him no good to think about the things he loved.

He glanced once more in the mirror and then walked out of his room.

"Dimitri?" Lissa stepped out of the kitchen and met him in the hallway. "Finally awake, I see."

Dimitri grinned. "Had a late night."

"Oh, that's right. What movie were you and Christian watching?"

"Absolutely none of your business."

"It was a romantic comedy, wasn't it?"

Dimitri gave her a hurt look. "Why do you always have to question our loves, Lissa?"

The front door opened to reveal a grinning Christian, who had heard their exchange from the hall. "Why do you judge us?"

Before Lissa could answer, Dimitri said, "Because she will never love you the way I do."

Lissa nodded. "It's true."

Just then, Rose stepped into view and stood in the foyer, grinning at Dimitri. "This where we're holding out family meetings from now on?"

Dimitri smiled. "I think it is."

They stood for a moment, before Rose spoke up. "It's good to see you, Dimitri."

He nodded and answered softly, "It's good to see you, Rose."

"Lissa, is the water supposed to bubble?" A male voice called out.

Lissa's eyes widened. "Oh!" She ran back into the kitchen. "I've got it. Go say hi to the boys!"

Rose gave a startled look to Dimitri before turning back to the kitchen with a smile. "That's right, come say hi."

Dimitri gave the grinning Christian a look that clearly said 'God help this poor schmuck' before he turned to greet Rose's boyfriend. "Hi, nice to-" His sentence faded off as he saw the man that had his arm around Rose. He was tall, with shining emerald eyes and the cockiest grin he'd ever seen.

"Belikov! Great to see you, man. And Christian!"

Rose's eyes flashed in surprise. "Oh. You know them?"

"Yup, Ozera here helps out my dad. Actually, didn't you just get back from helping him out?"

Christian gave him a tight smile. "That's right, yes."

"Yea, Ozera's great. So's Belikov. We're great friends. Right?" Ivashkov flashed a challenging look to Dimitri, who stood in mute fury.

All three of them stood, staring expectantly at Dimitri. "Dimitri-" Christian took a step forward, but he was cut off by a harsh laugh.  
Dimitri gave Rose a disbelieving look. "Seriously? Of all the _fucking_ guys, it had to be this one?"

"Dimitri, what-"

"This is just _fucking great_. Fucking _marvelous_."

"Man, calm down-"

"Shut up, Christian." He turned back to the brunette woman who was giving him a wounded look. "Thank you for making it so _fucking_ easy for me to hate your boyfriend. Thanks a lot." With a final look of disgust thrown to Ivashkov (who stood grinning, obviously pleased with himself), Dimitri stormed out of the apartment, Lissa's questions, Christian's answers, and Rose's please floating after him.

* * *

**Wow, sorry it took so long, but... this chapter was a lot harder to edit then I thought. Like, super difficult. I spent all week on it, and I'm still not entirely happy with it. Plus, it's embarrassingly short, which I completely apologize for. Y'all have not been waiting all week for a chapter that didn't even hit 2,000 words, I know. Sorry! **

**I'll try to have the next chapter up later on today. **

**As always, not my characters or anything. None of it belongs to me. **

**Tell me what y'all think! Leave lots and lots of reviews!**

**Thanks, **

**Sam. **


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